The deterioration in Northwest European port productivity has occurred despite weaker throughput levels than during the pre-pandemic period. Traffic across the region’s four main ports of Antwerp, Rotterdam, Bremerhaven and Hamburg was 3.5% lower in 1Q22 compared to the same period in 2019 and the decline in the number of vessel calls was even steeper at 15.1%, according to Drewry. Nor have average vessel sizes changed much over this period. But Drewry estimates that average exchanges have increased markedly, rising by an average 14% across the four main ports in the three years to 1Q22.

To counter the impact of volatile demand patterns and risk of congestion, carriers have adjusted their schedules to reduce the number of port calls per rotation, leading to large increases in parcel sizes.

According to Drewry’s latest AIS powered analytics, average exchanges rose by over 20% in Antwerp and 12% in Bremerhaven over the three years to 1Q22. As a result, both ports saw their terminal productivity deteriorate over 30%, as measured by days per 1,000 teu of throughput.

“The steep increase in cargo exchanges is posing similar challenges for terminal operators as the prior spate of vessel upsizing,” added Hadland. “But the difference is that vessel upsizing was planned well in advance, whereas the 2021-22 ramp up in cargo exchanges have happened much faster and with little notice.”